1 green thing: Green cleaning to avoid getting sick

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

1. Start with your phones(everybody knows this). Then, remember your cell phone. Before you grab something from under the sink to use for a cleaner, think about a better way. Clean with something simple, such as a squirt of non-toxic dish soap in a small bowl of warm water. Unplug the cell phone, of course. Dip a clean cloth (an old T-shirt or cotton sock will be just fine) into the sudsy water (squeeze excess water) and wipe all surfaces. If itís too tight to get into with the cloth, try a cotton swab (like between the buttons). With landlines, run the cloth the length of the cord to get dust and grime. Then, disinfect with distilled white vinegar and redo all surfaces (except the screen of your cell phone, do that with a dry microfiber cloth to avoid scratching).

2. Carefully do the same with all remote controls in the house (remove the batteries first).

3. While you have it, wipe all the lamp switches and pulls with vinegar. Do light switches, too, if you have not already done them. It does not take much for those germs to get into your home and then have them spread around.

4. Think about the things “you share” at the office, such as filing cabinets and doorknobs.

These are hot spots for germs. Just take your bottle of white vinegar and a cloth with you to work. Your fellow workers will appreciate you thinking of your own (and their) health. Plan to leave the bottle. Then, when you have a few minutes, do your keyboard and desk phone. If your desk is a place many people stop, you may want to consider the desktop as a place to clean as well.

For more information, email Jan Herbert at JanHerbert@Rockford-Parkdistrict.org.